Boy Scouts Use Their Survival Skills To Save Group Leader From Bear

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If you’ve ever been a boy or girl scout, you probably loved learning about the great outdoors. However, you might also have wondered if you would ever actually need to use those survival skills. New Jersey brothers Frankie and Vincent Lepore are among the few (like Charlie Wilstead Finlayson, a boy scout who saved his injured dad) who will never have to wonder. When their scout leader was dragged by a bear into a cave during a hike, they were the two boy scouts to step up and save the day. The black bear had grabbed Christopher Petronino by the leg and pulled him inside.

“I thought this was a serious situation,” 13-year-old Frankie told ABC News. “We might not make it out alive if we don’t do something.” Frankie called 911 and kicked into survival mode. They created a signal fire so that the emergency responders could find them in the woods. Then they used Christopher’s dog to bark, which eventually scared the bear away. Christopher was airlifted to a hospital and is recovering from his injuries. As for the brothers, they’re happy to have saved a life.